Master of Arts in Public Management & Digitalization | PMD

Profile of the two-year Master's program

Today's socio-political challenges, the digital transformation of state and administration, and the management of demographic change are actively impacting the governance and administrative behavior of tomorrow.

The two-year, interdisciplinary master's program “Public Management & Digitalization | PMD” will enable students to ask the crucial questions about every one of these challenges, and then to analyze and implement political measures and potential solutions.

The practical, interpersonal and foundational skills taught in this master's program will enable the students to become the “managers of tomorrow”, and thus to understand the digital world of the future in a more nuanced way, and help governments and administrative bodies organize the digital transformation in a sustainable way.

Thematic focus and course structure of master's program

In the age of digital transformation, governance and administrative behavior are tied to legal and economic standards and circumstances.

To define the boundaries for new digital technologies in the public sector, the teaching and research in this unique master's program are focused on the connection between digitalization, public corporate governance and public law.

The study program is predominantly based around lectures and seminars on the topics of Public Management, Digitalization in the Public Sector, Public Law, Administrative Sciences, Policy Field Analysis & Shaping, Administrative & Policy IT, and Personnel Management & Leadership.

The curriculum also allows students to prioritize topics of their choice and specialize in particular subjects when choosing their required elective modules.

Further information on the academic minors on offer as part of the course, and all other key topics, can be found in the “Structure & content” section.

Course facts and information

Qualification: Master of Arts (M.A.)
Standard period of study: 4 semesters (= 2 years)
ECTS points: 120
Non-consecutive
Format: Full-time
Course language: German and English
Language skills: Good knowledge of English is necessary
Course begins: Fall semester (September)
Faculty: Faculty of Political & Social Sciences
Fees per semester: € 5,070

Interested? Please note the language requirements

Although quite a few courses at ZU are offered in English, it is not possible to complete the PMD degree program entirely in English. Language skills in English are preferred, while German is an absolute necessity. ZU requires very good proficiency in German language on C1 level for all degree-seeking applicants.

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Team Admissions

Wallace, Birgit

Application Advice Graduate Programs

Phone: +49 7541 6009-2000
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Do you have any questions about the study programs and the application process? Then please contact our applicant advisory service.

Interdisciplinary and research orientation of master's program

We know from the real world that current and future issues in the public sector require a nuanced understanding of multiple academic disciplines.

To achieve the desired long-term result, managers and specialists in the public sector are increasingly required to develop interdisciplinary solutions. That is why our new master's program takes a systematically interdisciplinary approach.

Part of this is the interdisciplinary structure of the program which allows students to attend lectures and seminars of other faculties, on the topics of Leadership, Political and Psychological Aspects of Decision-Making Behavior, Innovation Management, Ethics and Mobility.

Within the required elective subjects, students can opt to do a research project (Elinor Ostrom Project) where they address a current research topic of their own choosing. Master's students assume the responsibility for all elements of a research project and refine their academic skills in this field.

Further education and employment prospects of the master's program

The impact of digitalization on the public sector is being felt in its employment market. This has resulted in increased demands on existing fields of work.

When talking about digital transformation and the restructuring of work processes, we also need to address the issue of what skills a public sector employee will need in the future.

The theoretical and practical skills taught in this study program systematically prepare students for the new demands of the employment market for federal, state and local positions, as well as the private sector.

The inspirational surroundings of the university will provide the students with the time and space to apply their personal talents, skills and passions to their studies in their own individual way and then to refine them.

This management-oriented master's program is aimed at

bachelor's graduates in Politics, Administration & Governance, Economics & Social Sciences, Economics & Administrative Information Technology,
qualified personnel from public administrations,
former and departing Bundeswehr (Federal Armed Forces) officers
students who have passed the state exams to gain an initial legal qualification,

who are aiming for a career in management (e.g. at the upper levels of the civil service), in the public sector or in the private sector.

As well as internships and issue-specific research projects, the ZU career network allows students to choose from a wealth of local, national and international industry partners, thus giving them the chance to familiarize themselves with new, public-sector job profiles.

The master's program can help students to develop their own career network and to closely combine research and practice while climbing a further rung on the academic ladder.

What are our professors' areas of research?

Our academic chairs conduct research on a wide variety of topics. Here is a sample of some topically relevant research projects:

The Open Government Institute | TOGI

Prof Dr Jörn von Lucke

Public Sector Informatics
Digitalisation of the Public Sector
Electronic Government
Open Government
Smart Government & Smart Cities
Realtime Government
Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector

Chair of Comparative Politics, Focus on European Institutions

Prof Dr Christian Adam

Policy Implementation
Bureaucratic Discrimination
Evidence-based policy making
Morality Policy
Public Health Policy
European Multilevel Governance

Chair of Public Management & Public Policy

Prof Dr Ulf Papenfuß

sustainable public corporate governance
integrated governance in corporate group/network structures
self-regulation
governance innovations and sustainable change in digital transformation processes
outcome orientated control

Chair of Public Administration & Public Policy

Prof Dr Steffen Eckhard

Public Administration
Crisis Management
Street Level Bureaucracy
Policy Implementation
Representative Bureaucracy
Public Service Encounters
Administrative Language
Evaluation

Detailed descriptions of the research topics can be found on the relevant academic chair pages of the Political & Social Sciences faculty.

Opportunities for cooperation and networking

The impact of the digitalization process on a difficult employment market is increasing the demands on local employers to provide qualified junior employees with long-term prospects in their own organization and region.

A scholarship or grant for a master's degree in “Public Management & Digitalization | PMD” can open up long-term career and promotion opportunities for these young talents. Digital Agenda of the City of Ulm is an example of how potential contributors can benefit from a collaboration with this master's program.

Would you like more information on collaboration opportunities for your organization or company? Please get in touch with our specialist contact partner: